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The Morganville Vampires #8
Kiss of Death
In this new chapter in the New York Times bestselling Morganville Vampires saga, vampire Michael Glass and his human friends face both humans who hate them and a savage party of traveling vampires during a road trip from hell.
8 pages, Audiobook
First published January 1, 2010
359 people are currently reading
16582 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Caine
217 books19.3k followersRachel Caine was a pen name of Roxanne Longstreet Conrad.
She has also published as:
Roxanne Longstreet
Roxanne Conrad
Julie Fortune
Ian Hammell
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She has also published as:
Roxanne Longstreet
Roxanne Conrad
Julie Fortune
Ian Hammell
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,121 reviews
November 5, 2012
Needs morecowbellvampire bunny slippers.
I wanted more of my favorite mad scientist Myrnin and his awesome slippers. Alas, my heart was fractured just a tiny little bit.
This installment of Morganville has us headed out of town for a crazy and dangerous road trip. The book was full of peril and bizarre happenings as usual, but I have to admit that I prefer our little disfunctional family when they're actually raising hell in their own town.
I was happy that it was easy enough for me to come back to this series after a year plus break (I read the first 7 so close together that I overdosed for a while) and be able to pick right up where I left off. Rarely, can I do this with series without having some memory lapse issues. This was not the case and I'm glad for it.
Part of me got to thinking as I was reading this book that Claire has really grown up. I almost feel guilty for giving book 1 such a low rating because I hated Claire back when I first read about her. It's easy to see now that the author intended for our lead to transform herself with time and experience, to which she has - in spades. The girl who started out as a mousy pushover is now smart, cunning, sweet, loyal and strong. Claire's growth as a character has been slow, steady and impressive. I should probably reward that by going back and raising my rating on book 1. Maybe I will at some point, but not today.
Why do I like the series? Because no one is pining away for the cool kid vampires. Oh no...people are SCARED of the controlling vampires. Oppression kind of sucks for our crew of friends. And in Morganville, you don't get to run far because you'll get caught. In a way, I get why the road trip was a nice little break from being inside of town, but honestly, I never felt stifled by having to stay in Morganville. Half the fun of the series is watching these young adults try to outwit the vampires who watch their every move. Plus, Ms. Caine only adds to the dynamic by adding in some awesome dark humor. I have yet to make it through a book without finding several moments which make me crack a grin.
She thought of all the times she'd seen Myrnin go off the rails - the times he'd begged her to put him out of his misery. The time he'd actually given her samples of his own brain - in a Tupperware container.
Nothing else to say other than this...I'm hard pressed to believe that you can kill a vamp with a pencil. That must be one sturdy pencil.
Random comment to the MV fans : I know everyone is a huge Shane fan, but for whatever reason, there is something about Michael's protective nature which makes me like him best right now. Please don't send hate mail, I should be free to love as I choose!
August 14, 2019
A road trip out of Morganville left some of my favourite characters behind.
My poor poor Myrnin was one of them.
The story was lacking "something."
Whether that was the absence of characters or missing the weird charm of Morganville, or what they did get up to just wasn't interesting enough?
No idea if it was one or all these things that drowned the book.
They did have some adventure times on the way to Dallas.
Hoping the next one gets back on track with the series I was loving.
My poor poor Myrnin was one of them.
The story was lacking "something."
Whether that was the absence of characters or missing the weird charm of Morganville, or what they did get up to just wasn't interesting enough?
No idea if it was one or all these things that drowned the book.
They did have some adventure times on the way to Dallas.
Hoping the next one gets back on track with the series I was loving.
Read
February 4, 2020Taking computers were my limit. After that it felt like a waste of my time reading these books. I really liked the first 3/4 books in the series...kept going thinking that eh it's a long series there's bound to be a few bad ones but I just give up. It just kinda got confusing and pretty stupid. If I'm ever struggling to reach my goodreads goal catch me reading the rest but until that desperate day nope.
September 6, 2020
I try to express only my most honest opinion in a spoiler-free way. Unfortunately, there is still always a risk of slight spoilers despite my best efforts. If you feel something in my review is a spoiler please let me know. Thank you.
Micheal has a gig in Dallas and the whole crew is going. Finally, leaving Morganville. It's only temporary of course and they have to take a vampire escort with them. But a road trip is about to begin. But then one thing after another happens, and they start to think they were better off in Morganville after all.
Another great addition. It was like taking a break from the drama-filled crap storm that is their lives in Morganville. Seems that everything should be back to business with the next book.
Micheal has a gig in Dallas and the whole crew is going. Finally, leaving Morganville. It's only temporary of course and they have to take a vampire escort with them. But a road trip is about to begin. But then one thing after another happens, and they start to think they were better off in Morganville after all.
Another great addition. It was like taking a break from the drama-filled crap storm that is their lives in Morganville. Seems that everything should be back to business with the next book.
April 30, 2010
Wow! What a GREAT sequel!! I did not want this book to end. It was full of action, crazy vamps, snarky dialog, and constant twists and turns. For a portion of the book, I felt like I took a turn into Night of the Living Dead, and I loved every moment of it. INSANE.ABSOLUTELY.INSANE!!
In this book, Michael gets a recording deal in Dallas and is granted a leave from Morganville. As part of the agreement he’s made with Amelie, he is able to have Eve, Shane and Claire join him on his road trip. Just when you think they are out of the danger zone when crossing the Morganville city limits, things could not get any worse for the Glass pact. They get caught between a war of vamps and zombie vamps as they stumble into the town of Blacke where Bishop left behind a group of infected vampires that are turning the town upside down.
I loved the dialog in this book between the four main characters. Shane gets honorable mention in this installment for his hilariously snarky lines. He was shear perfection in this book. Every single word that came out of his mouth had me squeeing like a fang-girl. LOL I missed some of the Morganville characters, especially Myrnin, but it was nice to see a change in scenery. I was a bit surprised by Eve’s vulnerable side as she lacked a bit of her badass edge, and I found myself missing that part of her. Claire was great and Michael was his perfect self.
What a great sequel, with a more subtle cliffhanger than the other books, but it’s not going to ease the pain in having to wait for the next book. Morganville is an awesome series for true die-hard paranorm fans and Kiss of Death does NOT disappoint.
In this book, Michael gets a recording deal in Dallas and is granted a leave from Morganville. As part of the agreement he’s made with Amelie, he is able to have Eve, Shane and Claire join him on his road trip. Just when you think they are out of the danger zone when crossing the Morganville city limits, things could not get any worse for the Glass pact. They get caught between a war of vamps and zombie vamps as they stumble into the town of Blacke where Bishop left behind a group of infected vampires that are turning the town upside down.
I loved the dialog in this book between the four main characters. Shane gets honorable mention in this installment for his hilariously snarky lines. He was shear perfection in this book. Every single word that came out of his mouth had me squeeing like a fang-girl. LOL I missed some of the Morganville characters, especially Myrnin, but it was nice to see a change in scenery. I was a bit surprised by Eve’s vulnerable side as she lacked a bit of her badass edge, and I found myself missing that part of her. Claire was great and Michael was his perfect self.
What a great sequel, with a more subtle cliffhanger than the other books, but it’s not going to ease the pain in having to wait for the next book. Morganville is an awesome series for true die-hard paranorm fans and Kiss of Death does NOT disappoint.
July 13, 2014
Road trip, baby! This one takes us out of Morganville and into the "real" world, but perhaps the real world is scarier than Morganville. The road trip is innocent enough, until the group are given a chaperone who insists on stopping in a small town in the middle of nowhere. Cue bad luck and horror movie action.
I love the you-can-never-leave-Morganville thing so stepping out of it was new. For about 5 minutes. Then, I began to miss Myrnin's quirkiness, Amelie's smooth self-control, and damn, even Monica's bitchiness. The entire first half of the book was very teen-in-love tongue-in-cheek. Too sickly sweet for me.
The real action doesn't start until well in to the book, perhaps this was to give the characters a rest, a well-earned vacation from the upheaval of the last 7 books. But I love that upheaval, the action and the politics, and as a result this felt like a filler book to me. I didn't truly enjoy it until the last 100 pages and then it ended.
The ring scene was VERY Buffy & Angel but I can overlook this for the significance of the ring to Shane. He's serious about Claire, and that's what matters, but I'm wondering when their happiness is going to be shattered. Is Myrnin going to make a move on Claire? Is Shane going to become too overbearing and protective? Which brings me to Eve and Michael, is it going to last? I have a feeling Michael may break it off in order for Eve to have normal things like children, which he can't provide.
Claire makes progress with her parents; she gets to move back into the Glass House again. Plus, she turns vampire slayer with a crossbow to a stunned Oliver which spawns a hilarious scene ending with Claire promising she won't hurt him!
Shane's changed too. In Michael's own words, "The universe explodes, hell freezes, and Shane does something reasonable." In fact, Shane does quite a few reasonable things. He doesn't move first and pick himself off the floor later any more, he's learned to restrain himself in dangerous situations. I'm impressed.
***Spoiler***
There was one thing I didn't understand: the reason for the diseased rogues. Bishop was clean. He didn't suffer from the vampire virus, which is why his blood helped cure it, so how come he infected the vampires he made?
Overall, there were some great lines but this was probably the weakest of the series so far, though I am rubbing my hands together in anticipation of Ghost Town set back in Morganville for more mysteries and conspiracies.
I love the you-can-never-leave-Morganville thing so stepping out of it was new. For about 5 minutes. Then, I began to miss Myrnin's quirkiness, Amelie's smooth self-control, and damn, even Monica's bitchiness. The entire first half of the book was very teen-in-love tongue-in-cheek. Too sickly sweet for me.
The real action doesn't start until well in to the book, perhaps this was to give the characters a rest, a well-earned vacation from the upheaval of the last 7 books. But I love that upheaval, the action and the politics, and as a result this felt like a filler book to me. I didn't truly enjoy it until the last 100 pages and then it ended.
The ring scene was VERY Buffy & Angel but I can overlook this for the significance of the ring to Shane. He's serious about Claire, and that's what matters, but I'm wondering when their happiness is going to be shattered. Is Myrnin going to make a move on Claire? Is Shane going to become too overbearing and protective? Which brings me to Eve and Michael, is it going to last? I have a feeling Michael may break it off in order for Eve to have normal things like children, which he can't provide.
Claire makes progress with her parents; she gets to move back into the Glass House again. Plus, she turns vampire slayer with a crossbow to a stunned Oliver which spawns a hilarious scene ending with Claire promising she won't hurt him!
Shane's changed too. In Michael's own words, "The universe explodes, hell freezes, and Shane does something reasonable." In fact, Shane does quite a few reasonable things. He doesn't move first and pick himself off the floor later any more, he's learned to restrain himself in dangerous situations. I'm impressed.
***Spoiler***
There was one thing I didn't understand: the reason for the diseased rogues. Bishop was clean. He didn't suffer from the vampire virus, which is why his blood helped cure it, so how come he infected the vampires he made?
Overall, there were some great lines but this was probably the weakest of the series so far, though I am rubbing my hands together in anticipation of Ghost Town set back in Morganville for more mysteries and conspiracies.
April 29, 2010
**3.5**
Rachel Caine handles suspense quite well. Kiss of Death is no exception, as the residents of Glass House head off on a road trip that includes some unexpected and terrifying detours.
There are a few things beginning to bother me about Morganville, however. One is the need for a new story arc. Now that vamp-Alzheimer’s has been cured and the Bishop threat obliterated, Caine has yet to establish another major storyline. As a result, there seems to be a lot of focus on relationship drama, and that’s not as interesting to me.
Claire and Shane are adorable, but there’s only so much gooey young love I can stomach. Eve and Michael are irritating. No, strike that. Michael is fine. Eve is irritating. She’s so melodramatic and bratty that I want to strangle her most of the time. I do wish she’d take her mood swings down a notch and find some common sense.
That said, this story has harrowing scenes that kept me turning pages. Once again, these four kids find themselves battling to save lives. It’s a wonder they ever manage to survive. To mention what they’re up against would mean giving away spoilers, but there are several plot twists in Kiss of Death to keep the action and suspense rolling along. There are also some exchanges with Oliver that make me wonder if there might be more to the cantankerous café owner‘s personality.
Not nearly enough Myrnin, though I suspect he may be the center of a future storyline (which would make me a very happy camper). On the whole, not the best Morganville has to offer, but still an entertaining , strife-filled read.
Rachel Caine handles suspense quite well. Kiss of Death is no exception, as the residents of Glass House head off on a road trip that includes some unexpected and terrifying detours.
There are a few things beginning to bother me about Morganville, however. One is the need for a new story arc. Now that vamp-Alzheimer’s has been cured and the Bishop threat obliterated, Caine has yet to establish another major storyline. As a result, there seems to be a lot of focus on relationship drama, and that’s not as interesting to me.
Claire and Shane are adorable, but there’s only so much gooey young love I can stomach. Eve and Michael are irritating. No, strike that. Michael is fine. Eve is irritating. She’s so melodramatic and bratty that I want to strangle her most of the time. I do wish she’d take her mood swings down a notch and find some common sense.
That said, this story has harrowing scenes that kept me turning pages. Once again, these four kids find themselves battling to save lives. It’s a wonder they ever manage to survive. To mention what they’re up against would mean giving away spoilers, but there are several plot twists in Kiss of Death to keep the action and suspense rolling along. There are also some exchanges with Oliver that make me wonder if there might be more to the cantankerous café owner‘s personality.
Not nearly enough Myrnin, though I suspect he may be the center of a future storyline (which would make me a very happy camper). On the whole, not the best Morganville has to offer, but still an entertaining , strife-filled read.
March 12, 2020
“Another thing I don't want on my tombstone," Shane said.
You have others?" Claire asked.
He held up one finger. "I thought it wasn't loaded," Shane said. Second finger. "Hand me a match so I can check the gas tank." Third finger. "Killed over ice cream. Basically, any death that requires me to be stupid first.”
Hands down, Shane is still the best part of this story. Well, Myrnin too, but since he was largely absent from this one...
oh well, what can you do.
I actually liked this one! I mean I love them all, but a lot of the reviews seemed negative. I liked the change of pace. The adventure was less convoluted and it was good to get out of Morganville. And I am LOVING CLAIRE! I never expected to say that! In the first books she was always average, but sometimes annoying. Every book she gets more and more Bad A and I am enjoying every minute! That moment when Morley teases her saying she would never hurt anyone and she straight up shoots him with an arrow!
Safe to say, I am excited there are still 7 more books to go! I wish this series would never end!
You have others?" Claire asked.
He held up one finger. "I thought it wasn't loaded," Shane said. Second finger. "Hand me a match so I can check the gas tank." Third finger. "Killed over ice cream. Basically, any death that requires me to be stupid first.”
Hands down, Shane is still the best part of this story. Well, Myrnin too, but since he was largely absent from this one...
oh well, what can you do.
I actually liked this one! I mean I love them all, but a lot of the reviews seemed negative. I liked the change of pace. The adventure was less convoluted and it was good to get out of Morganville. And I am LOVING CLAIRE! I never expected to say that! In the first books she was always average, but sometimes annoying. Every book she gets more and more Bad A and I am enjoying every minute! That moment when Morley teases her saying she would never hurt anyone and she straight up shoots him with an arrow!
Safe to say, I am excited there are still 7 more books to go! I wish this series would never end!
May 28, 2011
Well, once again Rachel Caine did not disappoint! I love how she can throw you for loops and make unexpected turns and then conclude in such a strong way! Every book seems to end with you longing for more! (SHANE!!)
Kiss of Death was another fantastic tribute to The Morganville Vampire series. If anything stands out that makes me just love this series even more is the bantering between the characters. I mean, the stuff they say and the come-backs are pure awesomeness! I think it really makes the books so much more fun to read.
This book gave me new perceptions of some of the characters and it has opened doors for lots more Morganville fun!! If you aren't already head-over-heels in love with Shane, well, you will be after this book. He just leaves me all giddy...
Kiss of Death was another fantastic tribute to The Morganville Vampire series. If anything stands out that makes me just love this series even more is the bantering between the characters. I mean, the stuff they say and the come-backs are pure awesomeness! I think it really makes the books so much more fun to read.
This book gave me new perceptions of some of the characters and it has opened doors for lots more Morganville fun!! If you aren't already head-over-heels in love with Shane, well, you will be after this book. He just leaves me all giddy...
October 26, 2019
It feels like each book is now self contained, no real cliffhangers or story lines that span more than 1 book. This is okay for now, but there are 15 books in the series so I hope we get a bigger plot to follow soon.
I like Claire and how smart she is, but sometimes she really shows her age by the immature comments and reckless decisions she makes. Her mouth gets her in trouble and even though I'm all for sticking up for yourself, sometimes you have to know when to hold back and keep quiet. It was interesting seeing Eve and Michael in a town outside Morganville for the first time. They think people should know them and not hassle them, but when you're a bunch of strange kids rolling through a small town, people are suspicious of you.
It was cool seeing another town dealing with vampires and what happens when the vampires get really sick. The story was pretty short and moved quickly.
I like Claire and how smart she is, but sometimes she really shows her age by the immature comments and reckless decisions she makes. Her mouth gets her in trouble and even though I'm all for sticking up for yourself, sometimes you have to know when to hold back and keep quiet. It was interesting seeing Eve and Michael in a town outside Morganville for the first time. They think people should know them and not hassle them, but when you're a bunch of strange kids rolling through a small town, people are suspicious of you.
It was cool seeing another town dealing with vampires and what happens when the vampires get really sick. The story was pretty short and moved quickly.
April 29, 2010
Oh boy.... I just.... didn´t quite like it. That´s what usually happens when you have so much anticipation. But I thought I would like it much more than the previous ones, which I really loved
Well, the whole road trip idea was cool and all, but what annoyed me the most was MUST EVERYTHING HAPPEN WITH EVERYONE EVERYTIME??? That is really annoying, I mean, I know you can´t have a regular road trip in an action book, but these guys don´t get any break at all!!! Just like Hermione tells Harry in the HP books: ¨It seems everything only happens to you, right, Harry?¨(I don´t think that´s the actual quote but you get my point).
So, I got these conclusions from the book:
1 - I´m sorry, but Shane has to go. He is now a mere sidekick, with no further development (he is that stereotyped character that only says ¨shit!/that´s bad!/I´m not doing that!/great idea, man!¨. Besides, never liked him and Claire as a couple. He simply has no future and has nothing more to offer (to her and the series).
2 - Eve also gotta go, and soon. God, what an annoying and retarded girl!!!! She has turned from smart and hip best friend to a redneck zero-personality girl (this is back from book 07 already), who never knows when to shut up and only brings the gang trouble because she is so damn self-centered. Besides, she is way too clingy for Michael´s girlfriend - he is the cool rockster, needs a cool and open-minded girl, which she proves she isn´t.
3 - Oliver is so cool, I wish I knew more about his past and all.
4 - I absolutely love Myrnin and I totally think he is completely fallen for Claire - besides, they are the best possible couple, they are both intelligent, always bickering at each other, he is old, powerful, beautiful with the right amount of insecurity.... they would rock together!!!! She is also starting to think about him more than she intended, so I think this is the way the author is heading them. Maybe that´s why I am so bitchy about this book - there is almost no Myrnin at all.... God I love him!
5 - Michael should stop being so bland and robotic, doing only what he is told.... he started the series as a great character with great possibilities and I think he is being left out too much. Maybe Amelie would pair up with him after he kills Eve ***evil smile***
6 - I still think Monica and Claire will become the bestest of friends, and I think Monica was like a supervillain at the beggining (which I thought was kinda way too much - I mean, killing people at will!!! A teen! And everybody knows!!!) and now she is showing that there´s more than evil there.... I like her as a character.
In short, the series is still awesome and my favorite - and I know there are always the annoying books in series. This one, together with book 02, are my least favorites so far. But I will continue, waiting for more Myrnin!!!
Well, the whole road trip idea was cool and all, but what annoyed me the most was MUST EVERYTHING HAPPEN WITH EVERYONE EVERYTIME??? That is really annoying, I mean, I know you can´t have a regular road trip in an action book, but these guys don´t get any break at all!!! Just like Hermione tells Harry in the HP books: ¨It seems everything only happens to you, right, Harry?¨(I don´t think that´s the actual quote but you get my point).
So, I got these conclusions from the book:
1 - I´m sorry, but Shane has to go. He is now a mere sidekick, with no further development (he is that stereotyped character that only says ¨shit!/that´s bad!/I´m not doing that!/great idea, man!¨. Besides, never liked him and Claire as a couple. He simply has no future and has nothing more to offer (to her and the series).
2 - Eve also gotta go, and soon. God, what an annoying and retarded girl!!!! She has turned from smart and hip best friend to a redneck zero-personality girl (this is back from book 07 already), who never knows when to shut up and only brings the gang trouble because she is so damn self-centered. Besides, she is way too clingy for Michael´s girlfriend - he is the cool rockster, needs a cool and open-minded girl, which she proves she isn´t.
3 - Oliver is so cool, I wish I knew more about his past and all.
4 - I absolutely love Myrnin and I totally think he is completely fallen for Claire - besides, they are the best possible couple, they are both intelligent, always bickering at each other, he is old, powerful, beautiful with the right amount of insecurity.... they would rock together!!!! She is also starting to think about him more than she intended, so I think this is the way the author is heading them. Maybe that´s why I am so bitchy about this book - there is almost no Myrnin at all.... God I love him!
5 - Michael should stop being so bland and robotic, doing only what he is told.... he started the series as a great character with great possibilities and I think he is being left out too much. Maybe Amelie would pair up with him after he kills Eve ***evil smile***
6 - I still think Monica and Claire will become the bestest of friends, and I think Monica was like a supervillain at the beggining (which I thought was kinda way too much - I mean, killing people at will!!! A teen! And everybody knows!!!) and now she is showing that there´s more than evil there.... I like her as a character.
In short, the series is still awesome and my favorite - and I know there are always the annoying books in series. This one, together with book 02, are my least favorites so far. But I will continue, waiting for more Myrnin!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2010
It was OK.
I'm not saying that as a bad thing, this book was absolutely better than Fade Out (wich in case i hadn't say it enough was awful).
On the bright side we get a lot of Shane and Claire, that just made me realize how much i've missed them and their relationship, the witty dialogues are back and i even had a couple of fuzzy moments remembering how much i love the four main characters of this series.
Regardless of that, i still think the plot was weak. Sure, after the first 100 pages things got interesting, but somehow it didn't feel completely right, to me it was a little overdone, like if, getting them out of Morganville to yet another vampire-infested remote town could really refresh things...
It is so sad, Morganville Vampires used to be one of the most fun, enjoyable Young-Adult's reads out there, but random adventures don't make a strong storyline, it works for short stories, but on a series, i don't like this sense of going nowhere.
I think is a shame when publishers pushes autors for more books, even when stretching things that way ends up hurting (or even killing) the story.
I'm not saying that as a bad thing, this book was absolutely better than Fade Out (wich in case i hadn't say it enough was awful).
On the bright side we get a lot of Shane and Claire, that just made me realize how much i've missed them and their relationship, the witty dialogues are back and i even had a couple of fuzzy moments remembering how much i love the four main characters of this series.
Regardless of that, i still think the plot was weak. Sure, after the first 100 pages things got interesting, but somehow it didn't feel completely right, to me it was a little overdone, like if, getting them out of Morganville to yet another vampire-infested remote town could really refresh things...
It is so sad, Morganville Vampires used to be one of the most fun, enjoyable Young-Adult's reads out there, but random adventures don't make a strong storyline, it works for short stories, but on a series, i don't like this sense of going nowhere.
I think is a shame when publishers pushes autors for more books, even when stretching things that way ends up hurting (or even killing) the story.
May 22, 2013
Quick review:
Cover: Not Liking It
Rating: PG-13
Thumbs Up: 4
Overall: Better than a few previous books
Characters: Well Done
Plot: Getting out of town and into trouble
Page Turner: Yes
Series Cont.? Sure
Recommend: Yeah
Book Boyfriend: Oliver
SUMMARY (50 words or less)
What can I say? This book was better than some others. Some of their actions were stupid but then again these are new adults with the exception of Claire. They got themselves into a bunch of trouble with the local folks and then had to save the day.
For a full review and yummy pic, see my blog post at:
http://mybookboyfriend.blogspot.com/2...
Audio Review
Cynthia Holloway does a good job with this series. I actual have paired her voices with these characters. So when she reads another book by another author, I’m always brought back to Morganville. It’s not a bad thing.
Cover: Not Liking It
Rating: PG-13
Thumbs Up: 4
Overall: Better than a few previous books
Characters: Well Done
Plot: Getting out of town and into trouble
Page Turner: Yes
Series Cont.? Sure
Recommend: Yeah
Book Boyfriend: Oliver
SUMMARY (50 words or less)
What can I say? This book was better than some others. Some of their actions were stupid but then again these are new adults with the exception of Claire. They got themselves into a bunch of trouble with the local folks and then had to save the day.
For a full review and yummy pic, see my blog post at:
http://mybookboyfriend.blogspot.com/2...
Audio Review
Cynthia Holloway does a good job with this series. I actual have paired her voices with these characters. So when she reads another book by another author, I’m always brought back to Morganville. It’s not a bad thing.
![Profile Image for julia ☆ [owls reads].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1636739475i%2F5520447._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
October 19, 2019
Eeeehhhh. Kiss of Death did have a pretty interesting premise with the gang having a chance to get out of Morganville for a while, but the execution was just so. boring. I mean, there was a lot of action and danger, as usual, but the majority of the novel was about everything going wrong for everyone again??? And we know nothing bad will happen to them, permanently, so meh. Kind of pointless. Also, Eve was the one I wouldn't stand this time around \o/
March 27, 2011
How the heck did I get sucked into the Morganville Vampires?? This is teenage, brainless vampire smut at it's finest. Seriously! I'll tell you how it happened to me.
It was such a mindless easy read...I flew through the the first book in a day. I must give credit to the author, Ms. Caine. She lead me into a clever trap at the endings of the first few books. I couldn't walk away without knowing what happened to these stupid, annoying teenagers in the Glass House. I went straight to my ipad Amazon store and in 1-click had the next book. Then there I was....hooked again. It was like a bad drug. I've now finished #8...there was no dangling ending and I said "Whew!" I'm off the drug and I'm not going back!
There is no academic or thought provoking redeeming quality to the Morganville Vampires. She built the characters of Morganville and the story line quite well. The teenage romances going on in the Glass House was syrupy yuck! Thank you Ms Caine for wasting my time...but, truly, I can't blame you... it's no fault but my own.
It was such a mindless easy read...I flew through the the first book in a day. I must give credit to the author, Ms. Caine. She lead me into a clever trap at the endings of the first few books. I couldn't walk away without knowing what happened to these stupid, annoying teenagers in the Glass House. I went straight to my ipad Amazon store and in 1-click had the next book. Then there I was....hooked again. It was like a bad drug. I've now finished #8...there was no dangling ending and I said "Whew!" I'm off the drug and I'm not going back!
There is no academic or thought provoking redeeming quality to the Morganville Vampires. She built the characters of Morganville and the story line quite well. The teenage romances going on in the Glass House was syrupy yuck! Thank you Ms Caine for wasting my time...but, truly, I can't blame you... it's no fault but my own.
July 20, 2010
I enjoyed this book even though it was a bit thin on plot and Clare should know by now that she isn't going to die. I just love these characters so much, they could be hanging around the Glass house reading the paper and I would be happy - they get into so much trouble - it's nice to see them have a little fun for a change.
April 26, 2010
There are some spoilers in this review, I'm sorry
I do have a few complaints about this book, but they are purely for selfish reasons. I liked that the gang finally got out of Morganville for a while, but I missed Myrnin like crazy. I was glad to hear Claire missed him too ^^
What can I say... This series is one of my favorite ever. I never feel bored, and this is saying something because after 8 books, I'm still looking forward to the next one. How many series can accomplish that?
The best thing in this book (for me) were Claire and Shane. Claire is turning into quite the badass, (stabbing a vamp with a pencil, shooting arrows,...) and I like where her relationship with Shane is going. I didn't like the Claddagh ring, I yelled OH COME ON at my book when I read that. The gesture is very romantic, but that piece of jewelry belongs to only one couple: Buffy & Angel.
Michael and Eve... I get how Eve feels but she's starting to get too clingy for my tastes, so I hope she gets some of her fierceness back soon. Then again, it's Michael, I'd probably lose sleep over him if he was my boyfriend ^^
I do have a few complaints about this book, but they are purely for selfish reasons. I liked that the gang finally got out of Morganville for a while, but I missed Myrnin like crazy. I was glad to hear Claire missed him too ^^
What can I say... This series is one of my favorite ever. I never feel bored, and this is saying something because after 8 books, I'm still looking forward to the next one. How many series can accomplish that?
The best thing in this book (for me) were Claire and Shane. Claire is turning into quite the badass, (stabbing a vamp with a pencil, shooting arrows,...) and I like where her relationship with Shane is going. I didn't like the Claddagh ring, I yelled OH COME ON at my book when I read that. The gesture is very romantic, but that piece of jewelry belongs to only one couple: Buffy & Angel.
Michael and Eve... I get how Eve feels but she's starting to get too clingy for my tastes, so I hope she gets some of her fierceness back soon. Then again, it's Michael, I'd probably lose sleep over him if he was my boyfriend ^^
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2017
“My dad used to say that life's a journey, but somebody screwed up and lost the map.”
So I have no idea if I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, didn't have enough coffee, or I'm super annoyed at the people who decided that 6am was a fantastic time to cut down a tree outside my house but long story short these characters just annoyed me for most of the book. I feel like this series is just going to be meh now for me. I mean everything has been pretty consistent lately and I either like or dislike everyone. I'm glad that Claire went from annoying as fuck to someone I could tolerate during small moments throughout the book. They all get in trouble or put themselves in dangerous situations throughout the book which doesn't surprise me one bit. I'm hoping the next book will be better or at least keep my interest. Maybe? Hopefully? Please?
So I have no idea if I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, didn't have enough coffee, or I'm super annoyed at the people who decided that 6am was a fantastic time to cut down a tree outside my house but long story short these characters just annoyed me for most of the book. I feel like this series is just going to be meh now for me. I mean everything has been pretty consistent lately and I either like or dislike everyone. I'm glad that Claire went from annoying as fuck to someone I could tolerate during small moments throughout the book. They all get in trouble or put themselves in dangerous situations throughout the book which doesn't surprise me one bit. I'm hoping the next book will be better or at least keep my interest. Maybe? Hopefully? Please?
November 12, 2018
The fact that Michael is actually able to get his music out there is amazing. I love the fact they get to leave the town. If only Oliver wasn't sent as their dang babysitter. I like the part with the abandoned town. I feel like we could've really been able to see some sort of apocalypse. I love the fact they leave the town and still find themselves surrounded by vamps and in danger. This one was a bit of a let down - now there were some cool things that happened like the town and such but it just wasn't for me. Not enough of a major storyline I feel like this could've been a little shorter and been a novella in the series.
February 8, 2015
2.5 stars My least favorite in the series. :/
Read my full review at Book Obsession
Read my full review at Book Obsession
October 24, 2019
The whole Glasshouse gang is given permission to leave Morganville to take Michael to Dallas to have a music demo made, accompanied by a chaperone in the form of Oliver. Their road trip takes a detour in a strange small town and it turns out they also have some unexpected tagalongs.
This was a fun installment of the series. I loved how excited everyone was to get out of Morganville, only to find that danger lurks everywhere and perhaps their lives in Morganville are not as bad as they thought. Not a whole lot happened in the big picture plot, this was more of a fun little sidetrack, although, it seems like Claire will have some additional work with Mernan to do when she gets home. I look forward to reading about it.
This was a fun installment of the series. I loved how excited everyone was to get out of Morganville, only to find that danger lurks everywhere and perhaps their lives in Morganville are not as bad as they thought. Not a whole lot happened in the big picture plot, this was more of a fun little sidetrack, although, it seems like Claire will have some additional work with Mernan to do when she gets home. I look forward to reading about it.
December 18, 2012
The Morganville Vampires has slowly become one of my favorite series. This past year I read them non-stop, so I read Kiss of Death sparingly until deciding to finish it yesterday.
First of all, it was great to see Michael, Eve, Shane, and Claire out of Morganville. After books 6 and 7, it was time to have some happy thoughts. Knowing Rachel Caine, however, I knew it would not last long (and I love her for that). One thing I have to say about the Morganville Vamps series is that it never, ever stops moving. If it's not one thing it's another. I felt this book--for the most part--kept up the pace.
Okay here's where the SPOILERS come in.
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
Kiss of Death continues the theme of breaking down the once-strong town of Morganville. Rachel Caine has created an amazing, interesting society and world of vampires and in these past few books I've been shifting between sad and happy to see it destroyed. Sad because I do enjoy the vampires and want them to lead good lives (only drinking donated blood mind you) and happy because of course I want our main, human characters to break free from the oppression of the vampires. Between Bishop and Morley, the delicate town that Amelie built has slowly fallen apart and we continue to see that in Kiss of Death as Morley and his crew take their leave.
One great part about this book is I finally saw Claire really change. When it hit me that she had changed (when she shoots Morley) I also realized that over the course of the series she had been slowly evolving as a character. It was in that moment, though, that it just all fell into place. I think it hit me because she finally stood up for herself, full force. And it was great. Claire is smart, resilient, and resourceful--but now she is also dangerous. One thing I always hated about Claire was that she never seemed to make the first move. She always just reacted when Monica finally made good on her threats, instead of moving first. This time Claire hit first and I'm hoping that we'll see more as the series continues.
Kiss of Death was needed in order to remind the readers that the characters we love and want to leave Morganville no longer belong anywhere else. Claire, Eve, Shane, and Michael caused trouble in each town they went to until they were able to actually do good in the town crawling with feral vampires. Even when they finally make it to Dallas, Michael mentions that their trip and happiness is only temporary--and that's the way it has to be.
That thought is soon reinforced when Amelie calls to remind the group that Morganville is where they belong, whether they like it or not. This is where my favorite moment of the entire book comes in. This one moment made the book for me. Oliver is one of my favorite characters in the series. He reminds me of Snape from Harry Potter, because I still don't know where he stands. Is he a good guy, but simply realistic? Or is he truly evil? I'm still not sure. What I do know is through the past few books in the series, I have begun to see different sides of Oliver that will hopefully help me find the answer.
As Michael, Claire, Shane, and Eve are frozen by Amelie's cruel warnings, Oliver tells them to be ready in the morning and enjoy the rest of the night while it lasts.
At the last moment, Oliver turns and quickly says, "And I am sorry."
It was so out of character and out of the blue that I was actually taken aback by what I had read. But I loved it! I think that moment showed that if Oliver could somehow prevent Claire and her friends from ever stepping foot in Morganville he would (probably, hopefully) do it. Then again I'm still confused as heck about Oliver's character but I'm going to enjoy this Nice Guy moment while I can.
All in all Kiss of Death really surprised me. I thought leaving Morganville behind would mean leaving the action and story behind, as well. I was wrong.
First of all, it was great to see Michael, Eve, Shane, and Claire out of Morganville. After books 6 and 7, it was time to have some happy thoughts. Knowing Rachel Caine, however, I knew it would not last long (and I love her for that). One thing I have to say about the Morganville Vamps series is that it never, ever stops moving. If it's not one thing it's another. I felt this book--for the most part--kept up the pace.
Okay here's where the SPOILERS come in.
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
Kiss of Death continues the theme of breaking down the once-strong town of Morganville. Rachel Caine has created an amazing, interesting society and world of vampires and in these past few books I've been shifting between sad and happy to see it destroyed. Sad because I do enjoy the vampires and want them to lead good lives (only drinking donated blood mind you) and happy because of course I want our main, human characters to break free from the oppression of the vampires. Between Bishop and Morley, the delicate town that Amelie built has slowly fallen apart and we continue to see that in Kiss of Death as Morley and his crew take their leave.
One great part about this book is I finally saw Claire really change. When it hit me that she had changed (when she shoots Morley) I also realized that over the course of the series she had been slowly evolving as a character. It was in that moment, though, that it just all fell into place. I think it hit me because she finally stood up for herself, full force. And it was great. Claire is smart, resilient, and resourceful--but now she is also dangerous. One thing I always hated about Claire was that she never seemed to make the first move. She always just reacted when Monica finally made good on her threats, instead of moving first. This time Claire hit first and I'm hoping that we'll see more as the series continues.
Kiss of Death was needed in order to remind the readers that the characters we love and want to leave Morganville no longer belong anywhere else. Claire, Eve, Shane, and Michael caused trouble in each town they went to until they were able to actually do good in the town crawling with feral vampires. Even when they finally make it to Dallas, Michael mentions that their trip and happiness is only temporary--and that's the way it has to be.
That thought is soon reinforced when Amelie calls to remind the group that Morganville is where they belong, whether they like it or not. This is where my favorite moment of the entire book comes in. This one moment made the book for me. Oliver is one of my favorite characters in the series. He reminds me of Snape from Harry Potter, because I still don't know where he stands. Is he a good guy, but simply realistic? Or is he truly evil? I'm still not sure. What I do know is through the past few books in the series, I have begun to see different sides of Oliver that will hopefully help me find the answer.
As Michael, Claire, Shane, and Eve are frozen by Amelie's cruel warnings, Oliver tells them to be ready in the morning and enjoy the rest of the night while it lasts.
At the last moment, Oliver turns and quickly says, "And I am sorry."
It was so out of character and out of the blue that I was actually taken aback by what I had read. But I loved it! I think that moment showed that if Oliver could somehow prevent Claire and her friends from ever stepping foot in Morganville he would (probably, hopefully) do it. Then again I'm still confused as heck about Oliver's character but I'm going to enjoy this Nice Guy moment while I can.
All in all Kiss of Death really surprised me. I thought leaving Morganville behind would mean leaving the action and story behind, as well. I was wrong.
April 23, 2010
Wow, did I ever miss these guys!!!!
Reading a Morganville book is like welcoming home friends you haven't seen in six months, the visits are always to fast and you wish they'd stay forever.
So what's going on with our favorite foursome?
ROAD TRIP...Morganville style;)
...Dallas wants Michael to go and record some of his music and despite the fact that they need to get passes to Morley and his flock, Michael, Eve, Claire and Shane are finally, FINALLY going to be able to leave hells-town and set off to find some adventure and maybe even some fun. Oh, wait, I forgot to mention that they'll be needing a chaperon to accompany them and lets just say-- "go figures"...
Of course it's never that easy for the fabulous four and soon enough our friends find themselves in trouble, once again...
I've said this before and I'll say it again. I love, adore and worship this series! Caine's signature characters; Michael, Eve, Claire and Shane have got to be some of the funnest and funniest characters I ever did read. There slams, wit, banter and sarcasm has always left a per-a-smile plastered on my face, while some of the romantic moments always makes me gush like a teenager.
Fast paced and action packed (did you really expect anything else?) Kiss of Death is yet another Caine perfection that I couldn't get enough! Crazy entertaining and exciting! This book was a total blast!
Six more months till Ghost Town and I'm already counting down the days:D
Reading a Morganville book is like welcoming home friends you haven't seen in six months, the visits are always to fast and you wish they'd stay forever.
So what's going on with our favorite foursome?
ROAD TRIP...Morganville style;)
...Dallas wants Michael to go and record some of his music and despite the fact that they need to get passes to Morley and his flock, Michael, Eve, Claire and Shane are finally, FINALLY going to be able to leave hells-town and set off to find some adventure and maybe even some fun. Oh, wait, I forgot to mention that they'll be needing a chaperon to accompany them and lets just say-- "go figures"...
Of course it's never that easy for the fabulous four and soon enough our friends find themselves in trouble, once again...
I've said this before and I'll say it again. I love, adore and worship this series! Caine's signature characters; Michael, Eve, Claire and Shane have got to be some of the funnest and funniest characters I ever did read. There slams, wit, banter and sarcasm has always left a per-a-smile plastered on my face, while some of the romantic moments always makes me gush like a teenager.
Fast paced and action packed (did you really expect anything else?) Kiss of Death is yet another Caine perfection that I couldn't get enough! Crazy entertaining and exciting! This book was a total blast!
Six more months till Ghost Town and I'm already counting down the days:D
August 19, 2016
Basic Info
Format: PDF file
Pages/Length: n/a
Genre: Young Adult; Vampire
At A Glance
Love Triangle/Insta Love/Obsession?: No
Cliff Hanger: eh
Triggers: n/a
Rating: 2.5 stars
Score Sheet
All out of ten
Cover: 7
Plot: 4
Characters: 5
World Building: 5
Flow: 5
Series Congruity: 8
Writing: 7
Ending: 6
Total: 5
In Dept
Best Part: There was some good action scenes
Worst Part: Filler book anyone....
Thoughts Had: no way; that is dumb; this is dumb!!
Conclusion
Continuing the Series: yes
Recommending: not this book, skip it.
Short Review: This book was a filler book for sure. No point to it at all.
Misc.
Book Boyfriend: Shane
Best Friend Material: Eve
Review in GIF Form:
November 2, 2024
3.5/5⭐️
Claire has grown up and matured so much, her character growth from scared little naive girl with a big brain to full on protective bad ass to her friends, she’s really come out of her shell. She may still be timid but she hides it well and I think even not being a native to morganville she’s adapted the best and the most progressive so far.
We actually left morganville this time? like what. We’re roaming the towns of Dallas for angel boy, Michael’s big debut!
I’m so sad that Myrin was left behind in this book but I can’t wait till were back paired with fluffy bunny slippers (fanged of course)
This book definitely took a different turn, the writing felt slightly different too so it makes me wonder how the series will progress. Also perhaps foreshadowing of Claire’s future? hello vamp life? I guess we shall find out, although she does state she’s content with being human but with the slight temptation for ever lasting knowledge…
Eve, Eve was painted in a different light in this book. Absolutely frantic and panicked, she lost control of her emotions and we saw a side of her that just emulated pure hopelessness and distraught. It was quite distressing, I just wanted to hug her.
I did like this new adventure however I will be glad to get back to good old morganville. Besides when Amelie pulls on the leash, they all have to come running!
Claire has grown up and matured so much, her character growth from scared little naive girl with a big brain to full on protective bad ass to her friends, she’s really come out of her shell. She may still be timid but she hides it well and I think even not being a native to morganville she’s adapted the best and the most progressive so far.
We actually left morganville this time? like what. We’re roaming the towns of Dallas for angel boy, Michael’s big debut!
I’m so sad that Myrin was left behind in this book but I can’t wait till were back paired with fluffy bunny slippers (fanged of course)
This book definitely took a different turn, the writing felt slightly different too so it makes me wonder how the series will progress. Also perhaps foreshadowing of Claire’s future? hello vamp life? I guess we shall find out, although she does state she’s content with being human but with the slight temptation for ever lasting knowledge…
Eve, Eve was painted in a different light in this book. Absolutely frantic and panicked, she lost control of her emotions and we saw a side of her that just emulated pure hopelessness and distraught. It was quite distressing, I just wanted to hug her.
I did like this new adventure however I will be glad to get back to good old morganville. Besides when Amelie pulls on the leash, they all have to come running!
October 20, 2015
This book comes with a massive hooray and a massive boo, unfortunately. We get a hooray as we finally head out of town! We get a book because there is a lack of Myrnin (anyone who has read my reviews of the other books knows Myrnin always makes an appearance in my reviews in some way, and I’m still not sorry for that).
I felt as though there was less action in this one, but that may be because it is all so confined. Rather than being spread out across the entire book at an equal rate it all appears around the same time, which kills the buzz somewhat. Don’t get me wrong, the action is extremely fun but I wanted it to happen throughout the entire book.
At the time of reading the book I felt as though it was somewhat of a filler, because of the whole out of town thing, yet things that take place in this one are important for later on in the series so don’t write it off completely.
I felt as though there was less action in this one, but that may be because it is all so confined. Rather than being spread out across the entire book at an equal rate it all appears around the same time, which kills the buzz somewhat. Don’t get me wrong, the action is extremely fun but I wanted it to happen throughout the entire book.
At the time of reading the book I felt as though it was somewhat of a filler, because of the whole out of town thing, yet things that take place in this one are important for later on in the series so don’t write it off completely.
December 15, 2015
Kiss of Death is the eighth book in the Morganville Vampire series. Claire, Shane, Eve and Michael are granted permission to leave Morganville and take a road trip to Dallas to a recording studio that wants Michael. Of course with anything thing this group takes on it doesn't turn out as planned.
Kind of another slower edition of the series. There are some good moments in it but with most of the cast of characters back in Morganville it felt a bit on the dull side. Couldn't help but miss crazy old Myrnin and his kookiness and the couple of characters from the town that did show up weren't my favorites. It also, took a while for any action to occur and then when it did it seemed over in a blink of the eye.
Kind of another slower edition of the series. There are some good moments in it but with most of the cast of characters back in Morganville it felt a bit on the dull side. Couldn't help but miss crazy old Myrnin and his kookiness and the couple of characters from the town that did show up weren't my favorites. It also, took a while for any action to occur and then when it did it seemed over in a blink of the eye.
June 22, 2024
3.8⭐️
November 7, 2017
Well I finished this book in two days & I absolutely loved it. It definitely had the wow factor. Amazing characters & brilliant storylines throughout
October 27, 2010
When Claire gets passes for the four of them to leave town for Michael's audition at a major studio, She is super excited to be able to leave Morganville, even if it is only for a few days. Considering their track record, they should have known things just couldn't go smoothly. To start off the crazy train trip their least favorite vampire is coming along as a chaperone. When he makes then stop in a one horse town with a order to stay put until he can get back, the gang gets extremely annoyed, and then wind up getting themselves into major trouble. However, that is nothing compared to the trouble and danger they get into when the vampire's agenda is revealed. It may just be the worst situation they have been in yet, and that is really saying something.
The four of them really didn't seem to understand just how different things are outside of Morganville. They are used to being tough, and well known in the town, basically near the top of the "food chain." Eve continued right along with her loud attitude. When it got her into trouble Michael of course steps up all "tough vampire" to protect her, putting himself and the rest at a major risk. Claire as always is able to keep her wits about her and figures out how to get them out of that first mess, and proceeds to give them a lecture on their behavior. I love how she is described as tiny little non-threatening thing, but she always surprises those who try to stand against her and her friends.
While outside of Morganville, the four of them seriously entertain running off and never coming back. As much as they might want to leave the town, I think they are actually better off staying put. Call me crazy, but it might just be safer for them. Morganville changed all of them and they would really have a hard time fitting in on the outside. At least in Morganville they have earned some status that protect them. Besides, they know it is only a recipe for disaster to try and leave as Amelie would do everything she could to hunt them down. At least by staying they will be on her "good" side, if you can call it that.
The action dialed right back up in this book. The stakes were incredibly high, and I found it amusing to see just how much trouble the four of them could get into outside of Morganville. It kinda follows along with the saying "You can take the girl out of the city, but you can't take the city out of the girl." They are stuck in this life, and I hope to see them starting on the road to acceptance in the next book. I've always been the type of person to try and make the best of things and I think that's what they need to do as well. I'm eager to see how they take this renewed idea of being trapped in the next book. It should be interesting to say the least.
The four of them really didn't seem to understand just how different things are outside of Morganville. They are used to being tough, and well known in the town, basically near the top of the "food chain." Eve continued right along with her loud attitude. When it got her into trouble Michael of course steps up all "tough vampire" to protect her, putting himself and the rest at a major risk. Claire as always is able to keep her wits about her and figures out how to get them out of that first mess, and proceeds to give them a lecture on their behavior. I love how she is described as tiny little non-threatening thing, but she always surprises those who try to stand against her and her friends.
While outside of Morganville, the four of them seriously entertain running off and never coming back. As much as they might want to leave the town, I think they are actually better off staying put. Call me crazy, but it might just be safer for them. Morganville changed all of them and they would really have a hard time fitting in on the outside. At least in Morganville they have earned some status that protect them. Besides, they know it is only a recipe for disaster to try and leave as Amelie would do everything she could to hunt them down. At least by staying they will be on her "good" side, if you can call it that.
The action dialed right back up in this book. The stakes were incredibly high, and I found it amusing to see just how much trouble the four of them could get into outside of Morganville. It kinda follows along with the saying "You can take the girl out of the city, but you can't take the city out of the girl." They are stuck in this life, and I hope to see them starting on the road to acceptance in the next book. I've always been the type of person to try and make the best of things and I think that's what they need to do as well. I'm eager to see how they take this renewed idea of being trapped in the next book. It should be interesting to say the least.
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